Grain puffing machine



Fb. 28, 1939. w J, CHARNLEY 2,148,728

GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N VE N TOR, %/fer J [Via/77kg ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 28, 1939. w. J. CHARNLEY GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A I I V l/lillllllflf/ll/l/ll v I INVENTOR %7/?er J' flawr y.

/ ATTORNEYS IBY% Feb. 28, 1939. w j CHARNLEY 2,148,728

GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet Z I INVENTOR, iZY/ff/J (Var/2. 5%

ATTORNEYJ.

Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE Y GRAIN PUFFING MACHINE Walter J. Ohamley, Omaha, Nebr.

Application December 19, 1936, Serial No. 118,777

2 Claims.

This invention relates to cereal making equipment and particularly grain pulling machines employed in the manufacture of such commodities as pulled wheat, pulled-rice, pulled oats and pulled corn, and the primary object of the invention is the provision of sucha machine, that will withstand the high pressures and heat required, and which will embody novel features contributing to the efllciency, simplicity and ruggedness of the machine.

One of the important objects of'the invention is to provide a grain pufling machine, having as a part thereof, arotatable barrel that is mounted between a pair of heat-applying burners which direct jets of flame against the ends of the barrel as it is being rotated so that the temperature of the grain being treated might be quickly raised to the desired point.

Another important feature of this invention is to provide in a cereal pufling machine of the aforementioned character, a novelly constructed lid for the opening through the side of. the barrel, which lid is releasably held in the closed position by mechanism supported by'and rotatable with the barrel itself.

A still further aim of the instant invention is the provision of a grain pufilng machine, having a barrel, the ends of which are specially formed and disposed in substantially parallel relation to each"- other and'having a substantially annular side, through which is formed an opening so that the grain being treated might be discharged in a path extending outwardly and radially from the barrel.

Further objects of the invention include the specific manner of constructing the parts of the machine so that the same will function as con templated and the minor objects forming a part of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grain pulling machine made in accordance with the present invention. 4 Fig. 2 is a similarview, but with the lid in the open position and the barrel in the discharging condition. r

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the main portion of the pulling machine.

Fig. 4 is a. transverse, central cross section through the same.

Fig. 5 is a section through the barrel and associated parts of the machine, taken on line V-V of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the barrel per se.

Fig.7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, sectional view through a portion of the barrel, taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 5, and,

Fig. 8 is a similar section taken on line VIII- VIII of Fig. 7.

In constructing a grain pufiing machine to in- 5 clude the broader objects of this invention, the same should have a main casting in the form 01' barrel III, which is provided with a cavity l2 and an opening ll through the side, which is in communication with cavity l2. Barrel l0 should be 10 cast of heat-resisting material, and it has been found that gray iron, steel and nickel combines to make a heat and blow-resisting alloy very suitable for the construction of this barrel.

The ends of the barrel are substantially parallel to each other and each end presents an annular flange l6 and a plurality of ribs l8, which serve to evenly distribute the heat applied to the ends of the drum through the medium of the later describer burners. Necke extends radially out- 20 wardly from the substantially annular side of barrel Ill and circumscribes the aforementioned opening I. This neck is undercut to provide a groove 22 that serves to preclude the passage of heat units from the body of barrel ID to a lid 24, 25 whichis specially constructed to close opening I. Trunnions 26 are cast integrally with barrel l0 and extend outwardly in opposed relation from the ends of said barrel. These trunnions are on' the axis oi! the barrel so that when they are 30 journalled in suitable bearings, the barrel lllwill be very evenly balanced. In practice, these trunnions may have a steel sleeve thereover and a bore of small diameter, 28, extends longitudinally through each trunnion 26. These bores 28 are in communication with cavity I2 and a specially formed plug 30 is fitted into the bores 28 where the same connect with cavity i2. The nature of these plugs 30 is vividly illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, and each plug comprises several radially disposed passages 32, each of which is in connection with a main"passage 34, in alignment with bore 28. So constructingplug 30 insures that the material being treated will not plug or otherwise restrict bores 28.

A pressure gauge 36 of conventional nature is joined to one of bores 28 so that the operator may determine the rise and fall of the pressures within cavity I 2 as the machine is functioning. A check valve 38 will protect gauge 36 against sudden rise 50 or fall of pressure, and ii the pressure within cavity I 2 passes a predetermined point, relief valve 40, which is in connection with one of bores 28, will be released and thereby safeguard the entire structure.

Lid 24 has an annularly serrated, downturned lip 42 at the periphery thereof and extending from one face. This lip is brought into contact with a sealing material 44, such as lead, which is poured into groove 46, milled into the outer edge of neck 28. The serrations formed on lip 42 of lid 24 will effect a tight seal when the mechanism which holds the lid in place has been locked, Lid 24 is mounted upon yoke 48 through the medium of screw 58, one end of which has a ball 52 formed thereon and seated in a cavity 54 formed in lid 24.

A removable plug 56 serves to maintain screw 58 and lid 24 in assembled relation, yet permit the lid to adjust itself to irregularities in the sealing faces. Obviously, turning screw 58 will serve to adjust lid 24 with respect to its distance from yoke 48, and this medium of adjustment is the only one required for eflicient operation of this part of the machine. Yoke 48 bridges opening I4 and extends above and across lid 24 from one side thereof to the other. Yoke 48 is a modified bell crank lever element, and has a pivotal connection with ears 58 through the use of a pin 68. In constructing the machine, ears 58, located on one side of opening I4, should be slightly spaced apart as to receive yoke 48 therebetween. Pin 68 is carried by the two spacedapart ears 58 so that yoke 48 may be pivotally supported for free movement about the axis of pin 68.

One end of yoke 48 is specially formed, as at 62, to receive latch element 64. This latch element is pivotally carried by pin 66.that extends between two spaced-apart cars 68 that are integral with barrel I8 on the other side of opening I4 from cars 58. This latch element 64 has a lip I8 which enters notch 62, and which is forced thereinto as lever I2 is moved about the axis of a supporting pin I4. A cam face I6 is created upon the end of lever I2, which is engaged by pin 14, so that as movement is imparted to this lever, latch element 64 will be securely forced into notch 62 of yoke 48.

To release latch element 64 so that the yoke 48 and lid 24 may be swung to the open position, it is merely necessary to strike lever I2 so as to break down the relation between cam face I6 and the engaged end of latch element 64. Lever I2 is supplemented by another lever 18, pivotally mounted upon barrel I8 through the medium of pin 88 and spaced-apart ears 82. A link 84 interconnects levers I2 and I8 and when lever I2 cannot be struck by the operator to open lid 24, lever I8 is available, as shown in Fig. 2.

When yoke and lid 48 and 24 are violently moved about the axis of pin 68, the force is absorbed by the parts illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5.

A cylinder 86 is pivotally mounted upon barrel I8 by cars 88 and trunnions 98. A piston 92, joined to yoke 48 at the end thereof, reciprocates in cylinder 86 and the filling of fiuidin said cylinder absorbs the shock so that the parts which move about the axis of pin 68 will not be damaged in the opening operation. Cross pin 94 pivotally interconnects piston rod 96 and yoke 48. The rocking motion which is permitted by trunnions 98 further contributes to the successful dampening of the force exerted by the internal pressure when lid 24 is allowed to open.

All of the lid operating parts and the latch therefor are mounted upon barrel I8 and the same may be counterweighted as at 98 to insure even distribution of the weight about the aligned axes of trunnions 26. Thus very little power is needed to drive this relatively heavy part of the machine and the momentum will assist in maintaining the rotary action.

It is desirable to apply heat to the grain being treated within cavity I2, and undesirable to provide a movable burner or other heating element. The manner of accomplishing this desirable feature is through the provision of perforated end caps I88, one of which is at each end of the rotatable barrel I8. Perforations I82, formed in caps I88, provide the necessary vents and a combustion chamber is formed between I88 and the specially formed ends of barrel I8. In each of these combustion chambers is disposed a burner I84, which partially circumsoribes trunnions 26.

and which directs jets of flame against the respective ends of barrel I8. These burners I84 are carried on the inner side of caps I88 and pipes journal trunnions 26, and these bearings H8 are mounted upon the upper edges'of opposed walls II2 of a polygonal enclosure. In actual practice, walls I I2 of the said enclosure extend around an opening formed through the floor,'and when the machine is in the position shown in Fig. 2, its discharge will be directed downwardly through the enclosure, the opening through the floor, and

into suitable bins.

Means for rotating barrel I8 is here shown to be a pulley wheel I I4, that is mounted directly upon one of trunnions 26. This wheel H4 may be belted to any suitable motor, not here shown, and the belt II6 passed over pulleys of any suitable size to obtain the desired speed of rotation.

It has been found in practice that pufiing machines of the character described and shown are capable of producing large quantities of puffed grain, and due to the ruggedness and simplicity of structure, shut-downs are practically eliminated.

It is conceivable that machines having physical characteristics other than those illustrated might be produced without departing from the spirit of the invention or scone of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cereal puffing machine having a barrel provided with an opening through the annular side thereof to discharge the cereal from the barrel in a path extending radially from the annular side, a lid for the opening mounted on the side of the barrel for movement toward and from the closed position, mechanism for so mounting the lid comprising a radially extending car on each side of the opening, a yoke having one end swingably carried by the car on one side of the opening, an independent latch element on the other ear formed to engage the free end of the yoke, and an operating lever pivotally mounted on the said other car for frictionally engaging the latch element, said yoke supporting the lid intermediate its ends and bridging the opening formed in the barrel, said operating lever being provided arcane with a cam face formed for exerting force against the latch element as the lever is moved about its pivotal mounting in one direction.

2. Ina cereal pufllng machine having a barrel provided with an opening through the annular side thereof to discharge the cereal from the barrel in a path extending radially from the annular car formed to engage the free end of the yoke, and an operating lever for the latch element,

said yoke supporting the lid intermediate its ends and bridging the opening formed in the barrel,

said operating lever being pivotally mounted on.

the said other ear. adjacent to the latch element and provided with a cam i'ace formed to exert,

increasingly greater frictional force as the element is moved about its pivotal mounting in onedlrection and to release said irictional'force as the lever is moved about its in the opposite direction.

WALTER J. 0mm.

1 0 pivotal mounting 

